Opa — Restaurant in Austin

DO NOT GO HERE. I say this because of the total lack of saying it is a "Greek Cafe". I have been to 2 Greek cafes in my life and both were disappointing. This place is the same, but before I tell you how not it is Greek inspired there are two positive things I will say at the end. Ok so I went to this place to give it a chance just to see if the had any Greek food I can determine. Being part Greek I can tell very clearly. Anyways, I looked at the menu and sure enough there were zero things that would appease me. I went with my wife who had food allergies and I didn't want to not get anything so I got the Greek sampler and a coffee. Everything on the menu was American style food with little hints of what they consider is what greeks eat. The sampler cost 15 dollars FYI. Our food came and it did not look like a 15 dollar worth of food. Oh I forgot. They get their supplies at a place called " Restaurant Depot". How do I know? Well first when I was getting sugar for the coffee I noticed the brand that you get there. Second, the domas are from the same place because I recognized the taste and size of them (they are not good) and also they come from a can. Now back to the food. The sampler came with tzatziki, hummus, a random sauce I am not familiar with, pita bites, small amounts of vegetables, and two domas. Again it was 15 dollars. The mystery sauce and tzatziki was ok but the hummus was not good at all and I suspect it was from Restaurant Depot. On the hummus I say this red powder on top of it and being a Chef myself I looked like cayenne pepper. I tasted it and yup it was cayenne. It did not add flavor it was just there to make it look cool. Back to the hummus it was not smooth from what I know what hummus should taste like. It was gretty and bland which means it was not made in house. I was really not happy with it and yes I could send it back but we had to go somewhere important and I didn't have enough time. My wife got a gyro with fries and it can be seen that the pita bread was from Restaurant Depo. Look I don't have a problem with restaurants buying supplies from there. Just make it taste good and make it obvious to me and others where it came.

I do not have any pictures because I forgot my phone but you got to trust me on this one.

Ok now for the positives (Yeah). The cafe had a decent amount of coffee drinks but I just wanted a regular drip and it was good. It cost 4 bucks which was like meh. The next one was the Wifi. I did not use the Wifi but I saw a good amount of people using laptops to browse the Internet and do work.

All in all this place does not have any food that is Greek. It's more of an American cafe. I'm not coming back to this place because it was really...

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Opa Restaurant, and I must say that it was an exceptional experience that left me craving for more. Nestled in a quaint corner of the city, Opa offers a true taste of Greece with its warm ambiance, friendly staff, and mouthwatering cuisine. From start to finish, my visit to Opa was nothing short of delightful.

Upon entering the restaurant, I was immediately captivated by the inviting atmosphere. The soft lighting, rustic decor, and soothing Greek music transported me to the Mediterranean, setting the stage for an authentic dining experience. The staff greeted me with genuine smiles and provided excellent service throughout the evening, making me feel like a valued guest.

Now, let's talk about the star of the show: the food. Opa's menu boasts a wide selection of traditional Greek dishes, each bursting with flavors that will transport your taste buds to the Greek Isles. I started my meal with the classic Spanakopita, a savory pastry filled with spinach and feta cheese. The flaky crust and perfectly seasoned filling were a match made in heaven. For the main course, I opted for the Moussaka, a rich and hearty casserole layered with eggplant, potatoes, ground meat, and béchamel sauce. The dish was cooked to perfection, with each layer melding together to create a symphony of flavors. To accompany my meal, I chose a glass of their house-made Tzatziki, which was cool, tangy, and the perfect complement to the...

I work nearby and like coming here for a quick drink or breakfast sometimes. The last time I went in, I ordered my food to-go (from a lady who acted like I was a nuisance for being there) and my food came out on a plate. No big deal, it's fine... even though the lady who took my order asked me twice if I wanted it to-go. Then they took almost 10 minutes to wrap my food up. I ate the food not even 5 minutes later and it tasted okay, but it was cold and soggy, so I know they weren't preparing it fresh during that 10 extra minutes I was waiting to have it wrapped up.

Then when I went in this afternoon, there was nobody at the counter. Which, again, is fine - no big deal. But I stood there... and stood there... and nobody came. I probably stayed for about 5 minutes. There was a guy standing in the kitchen bouncing a ball who I kept making eye contact with, but he didn't mention my presence to anybody. I finally just left. There were a couple of guys in line behind me who tried getting the kitchen guy's attention as I was leaving.

There are so many great food options in this area. I don't recommend bothering with this one. Such a shame given it's a great location in a really cool old Austin house. I'm sad I don't have kinder words for Opa and wish them success...